Your special occasion has arrived. You head towards the best-kept dining secret in National Park vacations. Dressed smartly you enter through large glass doors to a finely laid table with linen tablecloths, beautiful views of Yosemite and a charming waiter. Let me guess- you are eating dinner at the Ahwahnee Hotel? NO! Choosing wisely, you are dining at the Mountain Room, located at Yosemite Lodge at the Falls. The Mountain Room offers a premium dining experience that outshines the other offerings down the road and will leave you feeling satisfied AND smart!
The Mountain Room Restaurant
1. Casual and relaxing, enjoy intimate fine dining in comfort
Don’t you felt a bit stiff eating in your absolute best clothes? While we often dress up to go to the Mountain Room, we are comfortable in our hiking clothes. The accepting attitude doesn’t take away from the dining experience, as everything around you sings out quality. But, it does make you feel welcome. Even the warm lofted wood trimmed ceilings in the room add to the comfort factor –not so much like a castle. Cozy and more intimate, there are little nooks and crannies to sit in without everyone watching you, unlike the wide open room in “another” nearby establishment.
2. Personalized Table Service
Currently, the Mountain Room is the only formal dining option in Yosemite with traditional table service for dinner. The art of hospitality is still alive, with waiters taking care of you from start to finish of the meal. At the other “fine dining” option, you walk around with your plate to eat buffet style, and without someone dedicated to taking care of you. You can order what you want, and the pressure is off for making this your one perfect experience, because you can go again!
3. The food is delicious.
We have tried almost everything on the menu (“almost” only because they constantly change it up) and we never had an entrée we didn’t enjoy. We enjoy the steaks, but the seafood is great too. Many options for all kinds of appetites. Plating is generous and unpretentious – because actually, a little swirl of something colorful doesn’t make your food taste better or your stomach feel more full. Hearty eaters, we still sometimes take home a small to-go box. Always good veggies and organic features on the menu. With the Ahwahnee’s fixed and limited menu nightly dinner buffet, this is the only place offering a wide variety of quality dinner entrees. So, you can come back during the same trip and try something different, instead of the same exact menu. And you will want to come back!
4. The Lounge next door is better, cheaper and larger than the Ahwahnee’s Bar, with affordable appetizers.
Why does this matter? The restaurants can get busy, so you often need to pass some time before being seated for your meal. The Mountain Room Lounge fits the bill perfectly, complete with a real fireplace and TVs to watch sports. Restaurant staff provide a buzzer to call you when your table is ready.
5. No reservations required.
We love that we can just show up and eat at the Mountain Room. No need to plan a few nights ahead for a reservation. Depending on the season, you might even get seated immediately. We prefer to arrive right when dinner is starting out for the night, but have closed down the house many times. The mountain room accepts reservations for some of the tables, but there are a few held back for walk-ins and reservations, when desired, are easier to get.
Make sure to put the Mountain Room on your list and try to sit with our favorite waiter, Jose.